Historic Boulder Inc.'s annual Historic Homes for the Holidays tour next weekend will showcase the Boulder Masonic Lodge, along with six Mapleton Hill homes.

One of the homes was owned for many years by J. Alden Smith, a Boulder County mining engineer and Colorado's territorial (and, later, state) geologist.

Smith was a native of Maine, where he worked in a newspaper office while studying geology in his spare time. In 1864, a group of capitalists sent him to Colorado Territory to examine and report on mines they were considering as investments.

When Smith arrived, gold mining was in its infancy on the Colorado frontier, but the industry quickly became part of the foundation of the territory's economy. Smith was in the right place at the right time and initially settled in Central City, in Gilpin County. There, he combined both his newspaper and mining interests as editor of the "Miners' Register."

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In 1872, the Colorado Territorial Legislature appointed Smith as territorial geologist. His duties included inventorying and analyzing the territory's mineral resources, preparing maps and reports and promoting the area's economic development.

Two years later, with his wife and daughter, Smith moved to Boulder and purchased a 2-year-old house, with six acres of land, at 723 Spruce St. He opened an assay office in his home and advertised his profession as an "examiner of mines, mineralogist."

J. Alden Smith was a well-known geologist and mining engineer who lived in one of
the homes featured on the 2012 Historic Homes for the Holidays tour.
(Courtesy photo)

Smith's work also took him out of the office and underground. Beginning in 1874, he served as superintendent of the American Mine in the western Boulder County community of Sunshine.

The Boulder County News took notice in July 1875. "Ever watchful and mindful of both prospector and investor," wrote a reporter, "Mr. Smith has placed himself in the front rank of those who have the best interests of the Territory at heart."

Colorado was granted statehood in 1876. By the time of the 1880 census, Smith's listed occupation was state geologist. He continued in the unpaid part-time position until 1883. Then, after another man's term, Smith received a second appointment and served from 1885 to 1887.

Newspaper reports commented on nearly everyone in town, and Smith was no exception. In May 1896, a Camera reporter wrote that Smith was "mightily improved in health." However, two months later, in July 1896, he died at age 66. He had been prospecting for gold with his 19-year-old grandson Donald, near the mountain community of Magnolia.

The Camera reporter noted that Smith had suddenly taken ill and "in three minutes the spirit had flown." Smith's remains, however, were brought to Boulder, and he was buried next to the grave of his then-recently deceased wife, Amy, in Columbia Cemetery.

The Smiths' final resting place is the topic of a new book, "If These Stones Could Talk: Tales from Columbia Cemetery, Boulder, Colorado." Hot off the press, this latest addition to the city's history will be for sale at this year's Holiday Boutique (also sponsored by Historic Boulder and held in conjunction with the tour) in the Masonic Lodge, on the northwest corner of Broadway Boulevard and Pine Street.

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